Motor driven can opener



Nov. 18, 1958 T. F. MCNALLY 2,860,410

MOTOR DRIVEN CAN OPENER Filed May 31, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIQVENTOR. THOMAS E MQNALLY il/114m ATTORNEY New. 18, 1958 T. F. M NALLY 2,860,410

MOTOR DRIVEN CAN OPENER Filed May 31, 1957 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. THOMAS E MQNALLY BY hwm ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,860,410 MOTOR DRIVEN CAN OPENER Thomas F. McNa lly, Pawtucket, R. I. Application May 31, 1957, Serial No. 662,862. r 1 Claim. or 30-4) This invention'relates to'can openers and more particularly, to a ,can'opener which utilizesjan' electric motor drive to open the'can. I

It is an object'ofthe present invention to provide a motor driven can openerwhich, as a can is placed under the cutting tool, willautomatically cut on the can top without any added effort on the part of the housewife, or other person using the device.

It is another object of the invention to simplify the operation of opening a can, place less strain on the housewife while opening a can, and avoid cutting of hands holding a can in place during the opening operation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a motor driven can opener which is adapted to be easily operated by either left handed or right handed people.

And still another object of the present invention is to provide a motor driven can opener which will accommodate a wide variety of cans without the need of an adjustment to adapt the can opener to a particular size can.

And still a further object of the present invention is to provide a motor driven can opener with an'improved arrangement of a feeding roller and cutter which will materially improve the cutting characteristics of the can opener.

Other objects of the present invention will be pointed out in part and become apparent in part in the following specification and claims.

Similar characters of reference refer to like parts in drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the new and improved motor driven can opener.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of Figure 1, showing in addition, a can being opened.

Figure 3 is a transverse view partly in cross section showing the motor, gear train, cutter and toothed feeding roller.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view similar to Figure 4 showing a modified form of handle to operate the pivoting bar.

Referring to the drawings wherein reference character 10 generally indicates the new and improved motor driven can opener comprising a housing which consists of a base plate 11, a front plate 12, a top plate 13, a left side plate 14, a right side plate and a back plate 16. As illustrated base plate 11, front plate 12, top plate 13, left side plate 14 and right side plate 15 are 2 1 integrally formed to provide a cavity 20 to house th motor and various parts of the mechanism. The back plate 16 is removably secured to top plate 13 and base plate 11 by means of screws 17, 18 so as to act as a cover for said cavity 20. A front bracket 21 and a back bracket 22 are held in spaced relation by means of four studs 23, 24, 25 and 26. Referring to Figures 3 and 7, two screws 27, 28 which pass through clearance holes 20, 31 in front plate 12 are secured in front bracket 21.

Nuts 32, 33 adjustably mounted on screws 27, 28 respectively, secure front bracket 21 tofront plate 12 with the ends 34, 35 of screws 27, 28 respectively projecting beyond nuts 32, 33 as guide ends for purposes presently to be described. I

An electric motor 36 provided with an outlet plug 37 and a power shaft 38. is secured to back bracket 22 bymeans ofstuds 40, 41. A pinion 42 is secured to power shaft 38 and passes through a clearance hole in back bracket 22. A train of gears is provided to reduce the speed of first pinion 42 in relation to toothed feeding roller 43.v L Shafts 44, 45 -'and 46 .are rotatively. mounted in front bracket 21 and back bracket 22. A first gear 47 and a second pinion 48 are fixed to shaft 44 with first gear 47 engaging first pinion 42 to be driven thereby.

A second gear 50 and a third pinion 51 are fixed to shaft 45 with second gear 50 engaging second pinion 48 to be driven thereby. A third gear 52 and toothed feeding .roller 43 are fixed to shaft 46 with third gear 52 engaging third pinion 51 to drive or rotate toothed feeding roller 43. Shaft 46 projects through front bracket 21 and through a clearance hole 53 in front plate 12 to allow toothed feeding roller 43 to be located in spaced relation and in front of front plate 12.

An electric switch 55 provided for motor 36 is located and secured in top plate 13. A hand screw 56 is rotatively mounted in top plate 13. A pivoting bar 57 is pivotally connected to front plate 12 by means of a stud 58. A spring 60 connected on one end to pivoting bar 57 by means of a hook eye 61 is secured on the opposite end to a hook eye 62 fixed in top plate 13. An elongated slot 63 is provided in front plate 12. A stud 64 fixed on one end in pivoting bar 57 projects through elongated slot 63 beyond front plate 12. A double edged or V- shaped knife is formed in cutter 65. A guiding ledge 59 is also formed in cutter 65. Cutter 65 is fixed to the other end of stud 64 in spaced vertical, adjustable relation to toothed feeding roller 43.

The turning of hand screw 56 in one direction will cause pivoting bar 57, against the tension of spring 60, to present knife or cutter 65 closer to toothed feeding roller 43. Conversely, the turning of hand screw 56 in the other direction will allow pivoting bar 57 under the influence of spring 60 to withdraw cutter 65 away from toothed feeding roller 43.

Figure 8 illustrates a modified form of mechanism to pivot pivoting bar 57 in place of hand screw 56. It is a lever 56A pivoted to top plate 13 at 75 and provided with an arm 76 which engages pivoting bar 57 to pivot pivoting bar 57 against the tension of spring 60. I

In operation, a can will be placed with the rim or lip 71 located between guiding edge 59 and toothed feeding roller 43. Hand wheel 56 will be turned until knife or cutter 65 engages and punctures the top 72 of the can and guiding edge 59 will force lip or rim 71 against toothed feeding roller 43. The can body 70 will rest against guide ends 34, 35 of screws 27, 28 respectively. Plug 37 will engage a source of electric current for motor 36. Switch 55 will be manually actuated to On position. Thereby causing the gear train to be active through pinion 42 whereby toothed feeding roller will rotate to rotate can 70 allowing knife or cutter 65 ing roller 43 to, be in position. to receive the next can to heopened. 1

Having showrn and described: arpreferred embodiment,

of: the present invention, by way: ofexample, but realizing that structural changes could be made andother: examples giveni without, departing; from either the spirit or, scope of this invention;

What I; claimis;

A motor driven can: opener comprising a. housing. provided, with, a; front plate, and; atopplateand defining a cavity, a can to be openedghavi'ng a rim, a pivoting bar provided with, a. cutten pivotally connected to said front plate: and located in; said cavity; an elongated slot in said front plate having said cutter on one sideof said front plate. and said; pivoting bar: om the other side of said front plate,.a. spring. fixed: on; one end to said; housing and ontheother ends to. said pivoting bar, said cutter having a guiding ledge and a V shaped knife edge projecting beyond, said guiding ledge, a toothed feedingv roller located adjacent; said cutter, an electric motor,. agear train connecting: said electric motor to said .4 toothed feeding roller, said electric motor and said gear train located in said cavity with a connection through said front plate fromsaid gear train to said toothed feeding roller, a guide end located in said front plate and projecting beneath said toothed feeding roller, a hand screw located in said top plate engaging said pivoting bar against the force of said spring, the bottom of said rim engaging said toothed feeding wheel, said hand screw engaging said pivoting barto, force said guiding ledge against the top of said rim to wedge said rim between said guiding ledge and said toothed feeding wheel, said knife penetratingsaid canttop-through the pivoting movement of said pivoting bar, said can resting against said guide end and said motor driving said toothed feeding wheel to cause saidknife to cut the top of said can.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,102,174 Aeschbach Dec. 14, 1 937 2,186,668 Curtis Ian. 9, 1940- 2,438,376 Squires Mar. 23, 1948; 2,446,635. Chandler etal. Aug. 10, 1948 2,555,931 Raab June 5,, 1951v 2,570,721 Russell Oct. 9,, 195,1. 

